


The End of All Things

by smiles2go



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Destruction of the Universe, Doctor and Master working together, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 20:39:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/626307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smiles2go/pseuds/smiles2go
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From one moment to the next, the future changed.  A sharp line was carved between all that went before and what was soon to become known as The End of All Things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The End of All Things

**Author's Note:**

> Not mine. I could tell you it was, but then I’d have to kill you.
> 
> Bold italics is telepathic conversation between the Doctor and the Master.
> 
> They are forced to work together to survive

~~*~~

From one moment to the next, the future changed. A sharp line was carved between all that went before and what was soon to become known as The End of All Things. The Doctor muttered to himself when he thought Jack and River weren’t listening. He unearthed old books in the library, sitting crosswise on the floor reading with a flashlight when he thought the others were asleep and bit his lip distractedly when all of them, no matter the race or language or place in the universe—all were blank after a certain point. He dug deep into the TARDSIS’ files, grumbling at her when she had no explanation for _why_ all of a sudden files were erased after that same certain point in time—a point moreover that wasn’t too far distant.

That’s what puzzled him the most. The fixed point seemed tied directly to his timeline. It cut through any and all avenues of his personal existence. Well, he thought, throwing another useless tome at the sofa behind him, at least I’ve managed to stop the universe from ending a few times already, shouldn’t be that hard to do it once more. But the unease tickling his chest grew and expanded until he was afraid it would burst out tearing him apart in the process. Perhaps he was the End of All Things. Weirder things had happened.

That’s when he stopped hunting proof and started looking for _where._ Where was the epicenter, where did he need to be to stop this? He just needed to show up in time, pull another miracle out of his pocket and then do lunch. Piece of cake.

Except for how it wasn’t. Time marched forward, no matter where or when he was, the date stayed the same—in his timeline, adjusting for time and space. How could that be? It couldn’t be, so it had to be something else, something he was missing. This … this … _event_ was going to create a paradox, if it wasn’t a paradox itself.

Everywhere they stopped, he would be strolling along behind them one second and gone the next. Slipping away silently to search out fortune-tellers, witches, true-dreamers, databases of all shapes and sizes, libraries, anyone or anything he could think of. Either they didn’t have an answer or the answer was the same. Even the Ood agreed. The End of All Things. Coming to a Universe near you.

Ignoring River’s whispered questions and Jack’s searching glances, he delved deeper, looked harder, going so far as to consult his own oracle. Leaving both of them in the TARDIS with strict instructions NOT to follow him, the Doctor made his way down grimy alleys, wrinkling his nose at the stench and holding his overcoat tight enough not to accidently graze against unrecognizable _things_ that littered the walkway or clung dripping from dirty walls. Catching a glimpse of himself in a dirt-streaked window, he snorted at the image of himself holding his skirts up like a dainty old maid. 

Looking down, the smirk disappeared at the sight of unmentionable stains on his trainers. Damn, he thought to himself. Those are new, were new. Well, he shook one off, splattering the other, if he couldn’t figure this mess out soon, he wouldn’t care about clean shoes anyway. 

The oracle was just as forth-coming as always, cackling at him with an open mouth full of rotting teeth—a Time Lord—come to consult her on the future. She didn’t lose her smirk even when she confirmed all the signs, there was no future. Not for him, not for anyone. 

“So I’m going to die then?” He asked in a resigned voice. He wasn’t resigned at all, but that’s what it sounded like to him. “Nothing to be done about it, I suppose?”

“The End of All Things Doctor.” She announced in a thrilling voice that he was certain she’d practiced until she got it right. “A few _Things_ will …continue.” She turned away, lifting both hands to part the beaded curtain, tiny bells chiming. She might have been smirking, but there was only fear and sadness in her ageless dark eyes.

“Wait!” Had she emphasized the word ‘things’ or was that his imagination. “Wait a moment please. One last question.” He took one step towards her and she seemed to shrink in upon herself.

“You said… you said a few _things._ Can you tell me what they are? Can’t I stop it?”

Dipping her head slightly forward, she made a slight noise that he thought might be a laugh, if oracles laughed. “That’s two questions, Doctor.” She made the noise again and walked thru the beaded curtain. A soft “No.” Drifted out. 

“Come back!” He strode after her. “Was that _no,_ no you can’t tell me or _no_ I can’t stop—“ He flung the beads aside to be met with a red brick wall. 

“Dammit Oracle!”

For a second he considered kicking the wall, but remembered the soft trainers in time. River was going to fuss over the state of his clothes already and Jack would try once again to get him to adopt thick leather army boots. Bah.

With a sigh he made his way back to the TARDIS. Already the timelines looked a little bleaker. If only River knew more he could talk it over with her. If only the Master hadn’t died… He cut that line of thought immediately. No time for nostalgia now. 

~~*~~

 

The formal gardens stretched out forever, a narrow central reflecting pond surrounded on both sides by stone walkways and tall, dark cypress conifers. Every once in a while there was a fountain or worn-away statue covered in moss just to break the monotony and make you think you were actually getting somewhere. Twilight blues and greys painted the sky but the Doctor ignored it all, bent head forward, coattails flapping around him as he stalked forward as fast as possible without running. The answer was here—somewhere. He just had to find it.

Leading the way, his mind feverishly working to find what he was looking for– a way to save everything or if it was too late – a way out, the Doctor argued with himself under his breath. This was the place, the epicenter where it would all begin or all end. It wasn’t possible to watch your step and save the universe at the same time, so he occasionally tripped over an uneven stone. 

River brought up the rear while Jack was close on the Doctor’s heels, trying to explain something that took both hands. River mumbled his name under her breath every so often and quickened her steps to keep up, boot heels clicking loudly on the stone. The Doctor walked faster, easily ignoring the Captain’s tirade. Everyone ignored the long crack growing down the center of the reflecting pond where the water was draining quickly.

Coming past yet another decorative but useless brick wall, the Doctor caught a mirroring reflection on the other walkway and looked up in surprise. Another line of people had appeared out of nowhere and were walking along toward them from the opposite direction.

Jerking to a stop in mid-step, the Doctor’s mouth fell open slightly. Across the waterway, the Master was strolling along with hands clasped behind his back followed closely by a group of women wearing black dresses that dragged across the stone, covered in long, dark capes with hoods pulled down to hide their faces. The lead woman held out a long barreled gun that she used to prod the Master in the back every few steps. He hadn’t felt the Master at all, and that was just one terrifying fact among many.

Noticing the Doctor, the Master came to an abrupt halt with a wicked grin and wiggled his eyebrows in greeting. Looking across the water toward the Doctor, the woman plowed into the Master, pushing him forward a half-step, the gun poking him sharply in the back. “Damn it.” He cursed softly, eyes on the Doctor. “Will you watch where you’re going, you thrice-cursed whore!”

“Get on with it.” She poked him again and he dropped his hands to hang at his sides. “There’s not much time left.” Pulling her hood back with one hand, the Doctor saw a middle-aged woman with shocking white hair and burning eyes glaring at him. 

The Doctor felt Jack moving behind him and held back a hand to stop him. He didn’t know her, but he knew of her kind. Last heretic witches of the Shadow Proclamation, Lambent Kith Nebula, Black Guardians… the names went on—a group of women who wanted to own and control and destroy all that was good and light in the universe. If the Master had been a female he might have led them, but no, the Master didn’t share even with his own kind. But still, he had to be mixed up in this somehow. He was alive.

The Master shook his head and stuffed both hands in his pockets and gave the Doctor his most brilliant smile and a hasty wink.

“They want the TARDIS.” He shrugged. _**‘It’s time, Theta. If I can feel it, you can too.**_ “They think they can escape the end.” He shrugged again curling the corner of one lip up in amusement. “Even though they put this whole shebang in motion.”

“We’ll kill him.” The woman looked at the Doctor and lifted her eyebrows, but keeping her face impassive.

“Get in line!” Jack threw his head back and laughed heartily while rocking back on his heels. “Be my guest.” Everyone ignored him. “Please.”

“You need a Time Lord to work the TARDIS.” The Doctor said slowly, eyes on the Master. “Oh wait. I see you have a pet Time Lord already.” _**‘I refuse to give up. It can’t be the End of All Things. I won’t allow it.’**_

“I’m no one’s _pet!”_ The Master snarled, jerking around to fully face the Doctor and ignoring the jabs in his back. “… pet.” He turned the glare into a smirk. _**‘These bitches have been manipulating galaxies and trying to stop time at a fixed point. This point to be exact. They want to start over with a new universe where they are gods.’**_ Lips curling in distaste, the Master tipped his head sideways to indicate the women. 

Jack growled and his fingers inched down to the gun strapped to his thigh. The Doctor ignored Jack and gave the Master a puzzled look. _**‘What have you done? How did you get here? How are you alive?’**_

Before the Master could answer, a thunderous boom arced across the sky and everyone took a quick step back as the crack widened with a dull groan and the water was gone. Trees started falling in the distance, knocking together like dominos.

“Hurry up, you fool!” The woman growled and poked the Master in the shoulder with two quick jabs. She didn’t see his eyes flare or his hand move in his pocket. Between one blink and the next, the Master was facing the Doctor and everyone else was on the other side of the crack. The women screamed in anger and the one with the gun jerked it around to point at the Master and the Doctor. Jack backed up to take a running leap across the crack and River fumbled in her own pockets. 

The Master lifted one hand and wiggled his fingers. They stopped, frozen. The Doctor looked at Jack long enough to see his eyes were blinking and sighed. “Neat trick that. Don’t suppose….” Waving his had vaguely at the sky he widened his eyes in a question.

“No. Sorry. Won’t work that far out and it won’t hold them for long.” The Master rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t you have a plan yet? You know how little time is left. We need to be going sooner rather than later.” The crack widened further and the sky went completely dark. 

“I’m not leaving them behind.” The Doctor shook his head. “None of them, but …” He looked over at the woman and her companions. “I’m not giving them… or you… the TARDIS. She belongs to me.”

“And yet… you belong to me.” The Master said it softly, his smile widening when the Doctor froze, eyes snapping to the Master’s eyes and swallowing hard. The angry buzz in his head was probably River cursing a blue streak. 

Taking a step forward, the Master laid his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder. The Doctor shivered but didn’t move. “You are the Doctor… of All Things.” He said solemnly in High Gallifreyan, using the formal tone, his voice was thick and dark, like burning honey. The Doctor closed his eyes and slowly dipped his head in a nod, shoulders slumping. He knew what was coming. _**‘Don’t do this.’**_ He begged silently. _**‘Please.’**_

_**‘I can’t stop them by myself. I need your strength to take them out.’**_ His hand tightened imperceptibly on the Doctor’s shoulder.

_**‘There’s no need to kill them. We can figure this out.’**_ The Doctor lifted his head slightly, eyes pleading. _**‘No one else needs to die.’**_

_**‘Don’t you get it Theta? They’ve already destroyed millions of suns, billions upon billions of the living. It has to stop now or there will be nothing—not even us.’** _

_**‘Further reason that no one else dies.’**_ The Doctor pleaded.

_**‘There’s no time. It’s the End of All Things, Theta. Stop fighting me! You know I’m right! Those bitches aren’t your precious humans. They did this!’** _

The ground cracked open around them, long streaks snaking off into the distance, more trees fell, one barely missing them. The Master took a half-step forward. The Doctor could see the flecks of dark chocolate in his whiskey-colored eyes and he felt both hearts begin to pound frantically. The Master lifted his eyebrows when he heard the hitch in the Doctor’s breath.

Taking a deep breath, the Doctor nodded once. With a quick glance at Jack and River, he straightened his shoulders and lifted the opposite hand to rest on the Master’s shoulder. 

“You are the Master…” He took another deep breath and carefully keeping eye contact with the Master, went on in a flat voice. “…of All Things.” Dropping his hand, the Doctor went to one knee, bowing his head in submission. 

The Master threw Jack and River a filthy grin and keeping his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, dropped the other one gently onto the top of the Doctor’s head. Jerking slightly with the raw power, his face turned up to the sky and his mouth opened in a silent scream. The group on the other side of the now very large and growing crack came unfrozen and the caped women fell silently to the ground. Before Jack or River could blink, they were inside the TARDIS control room. 

River and Jack exchanged glances and then jumped to help the Doctor who was running frantically around the control panel, flipping switches and slamming buttons. “Don’t think we’re not going to talk about this.” River shouted over the noise throwing him a _look,_ while thrusting a lever down with both hands. 

Jack kept glancing between the Doctor and the Master who was lounging casually against a pillar, never losing his balance as the TARDIS floundered around, knocking the rest of them about. He’d hoped he’d heard wrong, _Master of All Things?_ What a load of crap. And yet the Doctor had gone down on one knee… River was right, there would be words about this.

~~*~~

 

Later. Much, much, _much_ later, the Doctor and the Master stood close together looking out a newly installed view screen in a newly installed lounge area. They were bickering softly when River found them.

“I want to go back into the past, there’s things I didn’t get around to seeing and things River needs to see.” The Doctor placed one palm on the thick glass and felt the cold of empty, unending darkness. There were no stars, no place to go. This couldn’t be fixed like he’d fixed it last time with the Pandodrica.

“No. I say we go forward, see what’s next.” The Master said stubbornly, both hands in his pockets staring out at the nothing surrounding them. “What’s the point of looking behind, that’s all gone now?”

“Boys. Boys.” River pushed between them, took both their arms and turned them away from the window, back toward the door. “We’ve discussed this to death. We’ve plenty of time to do it all. Now come on, I’ve a new recipe for you to try.” Laughing delightedly, she ignored their groans. “Jack says he’s never tasted anything like it.”

As she tugged them back into the hallway, the door snicked shut and the TARDIS deleted the lounge area, wiping proverbial hands. Sending out feelers, she searched for the place her Doctor was needed the most—and if anything worthy of him existed yet.

~~*~~

fin

~~*~~


End file.
